Display device



O. BRUNNER July 18, 1944.

DISPLAY DEVICE 2 Sheecs-SheeiI l Filed Jan. lO, 1944 n Cttorncg O. BRUNNER July 18, 1944.

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. lO, 1944 2 Sl'xeeas-Sheec 2 Patented July 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT` IOFFICE DISPLAY DEVICE Otto Brunner, J ackson` Heights, N. Y.

Application January 10, 1944, Serial No. 517,763 y 6 Claims.

This invention relates to display devices.

One object of the invention is to provide a combined display stand and receptacle formed from a minimum number of parts attached to each other in unitary relation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display device which is readily foldable from a collapsed or flat condition to an operative condition ready for use as a combined display stand and receptacle.

A further object oi the invention is generally to provide an improved combination display stand and receptacle, especially in respect to the simplicity and low cost of manufacture and further in respect to the factor of the facility with which the device can be converted from its flat condition to its operative condition.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a combined display stand and receptacle embodying the present invention showing the same in its operative condition ready for use;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the combination stand and receptacle in its collapsed condition;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the display stand and receptacle;

Figs. 5 and 6 are plan views of the blanks from which the combined display stand and receptacle illustrated in Fig. 1 is formed.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the display device ID embodying the present invention constitutes, as illustrated in Fig. 1, a combined display stand and receptacle. Said display device is formed of cardboard or other suitable sheet material and comprises an upper member I2 and a lower member I4 spaced forwardly of said upper member I2 and connected thereto by the side members IE. As here shown members I2, I4 and I are disposed in vertical planes and constitute a display stand. A receptacle-forming member I8 is integral with or attached to member I4 and is releasably engageable with side members I6. More particularly, receptacle-forming member I8 comprises, in integral relation, a front wall 20, a bottom wall 22 and a rear wall 2,4. Front wall 20 is preferably integral with member I4 of the stand being foldably related to said member at the upper edge 26 thereof. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, bottom wall 22 of the receptacle-forming member I8 is disposed inwardly of the forward inclined edges' 28 of side members i6 and extends between the'inner surface of said side walls with the opposite side edges of said wall 22 abutting said inner surfaces. Thus, the portions of the side member I6 which extend forwardly or upwardly beyond bottom wall 22 of member I8 form opposite side walls of the receptacle. Member IB is releasably secured to side members I6 in receptacle-forming relation therewith by tabs 30 which are integral with the wall-forming section 24 of member' ill and which are removably received in slots 32 vprovided in side members I6 at the edges 28 thereof near the member I2. As hereinafter more fully described, members I2 and I6 are fo-rmed, preferably in integral relation, from a single blank A (Fig. 5)Y of cardboard or other suitable sheet material and members I4 and I8 are formed, preferably in integral relation, from a` single blank B (Fig. 6) of cardboard or other suitable sheet material. Member I4, which is integral with member I8, is secured-at its opposite ends to side members I6 in foldable relation there- ,I with. For this purpose-member 1'4, which is one of the sections of the blank which includes member i3, is provided with endtabs 34 which are adhesively secured to the forward lower portions of adjacent side members I6, respectively. As

illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and6, the upper edges 36 of said tabs 34 are downwardly inclined so as to be engaged by the adjacent end portions of wall 2o of member I8.

4The blank A for forming members I2 and I6 is illustrated in Fig. 5, and by reference thereto, it

,' will be observedthat said blank can be readily formed from cardboard or other suitable sheet material by simple cutting or die-cutting operations. Il'ieparts of the blank which form members mand I6 are scored along the lines 38 at the ends of member I2 and the adjacent ends of members IB so that said members I2 and I6 are foldably related and can be folded to positions in which members It lie in confronting surface relation as illustrated in Fig. 1 in planes transverse to the plane of member I2. It will be observed that blank A is cut completely therethrough along the line 40 to form the vertical front edges 49a, of said member when the blank is folded into standdening relation as illustrated in Fig. 1. Each side member 16 has a lower portion 42 which is substantially wider than the upper portion 44 oi said member, and an intermediate portion 46 which decreases progressively in Width between said 'portions 42 and 44 and which are dened by the inclined edges 23. Accordingly, when side members are folded along lines 38 into confronting-surface relation, member I2 is disposed at the top of the stand and rearwardly of edges 40a, oi said side members. Blank A is also provided with vertical score lines 48 to provide the side members I5 with foldable vertical end portions 58.

The blank B for forming members I4 and I8 is illustrated in Fig. 6, and as here shown is scored along the lines 52, 54 and 56, so that said blank is readily foldable not only at the upper edge 26 of member I4 which is an integral part of said blank, but also at the lower and upper edges 54a and 56a at the opposite ends, respectively, of bottom wall 22, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Blank B is also scored along the lines 58 to facilitate the folding of tabs 36 for the securement of the latter to the lower forward portions of the adjacent side member I6, respectively.

By comparing Figs. 1 and 2, it will be observed that the display device embodying the present invention may be disposed either in the :dat or collapsed condition thereof illustrated in Fig. 2, or in the operative condition thereof illustrated in Fig, 1. When the device is collapsed as illustrated in Fig. 2, the foldable sections I 4, 20, 22 and 24 all lie in the same plane, with receptacle-forming par-t I8 comprising said sections in abutting relation with member I2; also member I2 and one of the side members I6 lie in the same plane, while the other side member I6 is folded under members I2 and I8 and lies flat thereagainst. It will be understood that the device is readily folded into its operative condition illustrated in Fig. 1 by folding side members I6 in relation to members I2 and I4 at the fold lines 38 and 58 and by folding the receptacle-forming member I8 about the fold lines 52, 54a and 56a so that the bottom wall 22 is positioned inwardly of the inclined edges 28 of side members I6. The positioning of tabs 3U in grooves 32, besides releasably securing receptacleforming member I8 to the side members I6, also holds said side members releasably in confronting-surface or stand-defining relation, preventing movement of said side members either away from each other or toward each other, said last mentioned movement being also prevented by the engagement of the inner surfaces of said side members with the adjacent edges of bottom wall portion 22 of member I8. It will be noted that tabs 30 are provided with grooves 30a. so that said tabs extend beyond the inner ends of the grooves 32 at the opposite surfaces of said side members for releasably locking said tabs against movement laterally of side members I 6, thus holding said side members I6 against movement away from the adjacent edges 0f bottom wall 22 of member I8.

The display device of the present invention may be lithographed or otherwise suitably ornamented or provided with advertising or other printed matter especially on parts I2, I4 and I6, or any of said parts, and of course said advertising matter may relate to merchandise or other articles positioned within the receptacle defined by walls 20, 22, 24 and the adjacent portions of side members I8. Various articles may be placed in the display receptacle for view through the open top thereof. For example, cigarette packages may be displayed in said receptacle and sold directly therefrom, if desired.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein shown or described and that in the embodiment herein illustrated or described, certain changes in the details of construction and in the arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the underlying idea of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A collapsible display device comprising a supporting frame formed of sheet material and having relatively foldable portions relatively movable to lie in flat condition when the device is co1- lapsed or to lie in transverse planes in frame supporting relation when the device is in operative condition, said supporting frame having an opening therein, foldable means formed of sheet material, foldably connected to said frame to lie in flat condition with said frame when the device is collapsed and movable into receptacle defining relation in position in said opening when the device is in operative condition, and means for releasably retaining said frame parts in said frame supporting relation and said foldable means in receptacle-defining relation in said frame.

2. A collapsible display device comprising a plurality of parts relatively foldable from positions in which they lie in substantially flat condition, in -the collapsed condition of the device, to positions in which they lie in different planes, in the operative condition of the device, one of said parts comprising spaced side portions, another of said parts having a portion extending between said side portions and foldably connected thereto, said other part also having a plurality of portions foldable into the space between said side portions in recess-defining relation, and interengaging means on said parts for holding th'em together in the operative condition of the stand with said foldable portions in said recess-defining relation.

3. In a collapsible display stand formed of sheet material, a plurality of parts relatively foldable from positions in which they lie in substantially the same plane, in the collapsed condition of the stand, to positions in which they lie in different planes, in the operative condition of the stand, one of said parts having side portions and an end portion extending between said side portions and deiining therewith an opening in the front of the stand, another of said parts having a portion spaced from said end portion and extending between and foldably connected at its opposite ends to said side portions, respectively, said other part having an end portion foldably connected to said side wall portions and spaced from said rst mentioned end portion, said other part comprising a plurality of foldable sections positioned in said opening, in the operative condition of the stand, and forming a recess extending between said side wall portions and said end wall portions, one of said sections forming the inner wall of said recess and lying in a plane spaced rearwardly from said end portions.

4. A collapsible display device comprising a panel formed of sheet material having an opening therein, said panel comprising a top member, a bottom member, and side members foldably connected to said top and bottom members at the opposite ends thereof, said members being disposed at the adjacent sides, respectively, of said opening, said panel members being foldable from positions in which they lie iiat, in the collapsed condition of the stand, to positions in which said side members lie in spaced confronting relation in planes transverse to the planes of said bottom and top members for supporting the panel in upright condition, in the operative condition of the device, and means foldably connected to said bottom member and constructed and arranged to be positioned in said opening of said panel when said side members are in said confronting relation, said means being formed 'of a, plurality of foldably related portions, two of said portions being adapted to be positioned adjacent said top and bottom members, respectively, and to extend rearwardly of the planes of said top and bottom members, in the operative condition of the device, and another of said portions extending between said two portions in a plane spaced rearwardly of said top and bottom members and adapted to extend between said confronting side members and dening a receptacle therewith and with said two portions.

5. A display device comprising laterally spaced members formed of sheet material, said members having upper, lower and intermediate portions, said lower portions being wider than said upper portions and said intermediate portions tapering in width from said lower portions to said upper portions, respectively, and having upper edges inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the adjacent edges of said lower portions, respectively, when said side members are in vertical positions, spaced upper and lower members foldably connected at their opposite ends to the adjacent edges, respectively, of said upper and lower portions, respectively, of said side members, said side members being foldable to positions in which they lie in confronting surface relation in planes transverse to the planes of said. upper and lower members to form with said upper and lower members a self-supporting frame having an opening therein, and receptacleforming means formed of sheet material and foldably connected to one of said lower and upper frame members and constructed and arn ranged to be positioned in said opening inward ly of said inclined edges of the side members and to extend between said upper and lower members and the confronting surfaces of said side members.

6. A display device comprising a front member formed of sheet material, side members formed of sheet material and foldably connected to the opposite ends, respectively, of said front member, to be positioned in confronting surface relation in planes transverse to the plane of said front member, said side members extending laterally and upwardly beyond said front member and having edges which, in said transverse position of said side members, are inclined upwardly and rearwardly from said front member, receptacle-forming means foldably connected to said front member for movement into the space between said side members inwardly of said inclined edges thereof, when the latter are in said transverse position; said receptacle-forming means having walls constructed and arranged to extend upwardly in the direction of said inclined edges, and means for releasably holding said side members in said transverse position and said wall of the receptacle-forming means in said upwardly inclined position.

O'IIO BRUNNER, 

